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Heart Failure Archive
Articles
A diet that may stave off heart failure
Research we're watching
A plant-focused diet long touted for its ability to lower blood pressure may also help prevent heart failure, according to a new study.
The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish, and nuts while minimizing salt, sugar, and red meat consumption.
Regular exercise helps reverse age-related changes in your heart
Moderate workouts on most days of the week may be enough for heart-healing benefits.
Image: © kali9/Getty Images
Good news: If you've spent most of your life as a competitive master athlete who trains more than six days a week (in addition to competitions) your heart probably looks and performs like one that is much younger than its chronological age.
Doesn't sound like you? Don't worry, there's also some good news for the rest of us. Even if you've spent more time hanging out than working out over the past few decades, starting an exercise program in middle age might earn you a younger-looking heart too.
Certain pain relievers could harm your heart
But use is primarily a concern for people who take them over a long period or who have certain health risks.
Image: © clu/Getty Images
Numerous studies in recent years have raised concerns that common pain relievers known as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase the risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack and stroke.
A study published September 4 in The BMJ seems to confirm the risks associated with NSAIDs and notes that one medication in particular — diclofenac (Voltaren) — is associated with even higher risks to cardiovascular health than others in the same category.
Walking linked to lower heart failure risk in older women
Research we're watching
Image: © kali9/Getty Images
The more a middle-aged or older woman walks or does other exercise, the lower her risk of developing heart failure, a new study suggests. Heart failure — which means the heart is too weak or too stiff to pump enough blood through the body — affects some 5.7 million Americans.
Researchers tracked the exercise habits and heart health of more than 137,000 women who were ages 50 to 79 when the study began. After an average follow-up of 14 years, women who got at least some physical activity were 11% less likely to develop heart failure than those who didn't exercise at all — and those with the highest levels of physical activity were 35% less likely to develop heart failure.
Exercise: Better starting later than never
Research we're watching
Image: © adamkaz/Getty Images
Exercising regularly throughout life is the best way to keep your heart healthy. But starting to exercise even in late middle age may lessen the risk of heart failure, according to a report in the May 15 issue of Circulation. Heart failure, a gradual decline in the heart's ability to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs, affects about 6.5 million people in the United States.
The study involved more than 11,000 people who were part of a long-running project begun in the late 1980s, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. Every six years, participants got medical testing and filled out questionnaires about their physical activity.
Concerns about swollen legs
Ask the doctor
Q. I have noticed my legs are getting more swollen lately. Is this anything to worry about? My mother also had this problem and was diagnosed with heart failure.
A. Leg swelling is very common, especially as people get older. Heart failure, which means the heart can't function well enough to meet the body's needs, is certainly on the list of serious causes. However, people usually experience other symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue by the time the heart failure becomes serious enough to cause leg swelling.
When the heart pumps normally but struggles
Ask the doctor
Illustration by Scott Leighton
Q. I was recently admitted to the hospital with heart failure and received a heart ultrasound. The test report stated that my heart's pumping ability is normal. I don't understand. Was my diagnosis wrong, or is the test wrong?
A. If you were diagnosed with heart failure in the hospital, I'm presuming that you were admitted with symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, and difficulty doing everyday activities. Other common symptoms include swelling in your legs and feet and trouble breathing at night.
Ask the doctor: Checking for blocked arteries in heart failure?
When a person develops heart failure without a good explanation for the underlying cause, a heart catheterization to check for blockages in the coronary arteries may be appropriate.
What is a bubble study?
Ask the doctor
Q. My cardiologist mentioned that he was going to do a "bubble study" during my echocardiogram. What is that?
A. During an echocardiogram, a technician uses a probe that emits high-frequency sound waves (ultrasound) that "echo" off the structures of your heart. The waves, which are translated into video images visible on a monitor, can reveal in-formation about your heart's structure and function. A bubble study gives added information, as it can identify potential blood flow issues inside your heart.
Recent Blog Articles
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Concussion in children: What to know and do
What color is your tongue? What's healthy, what's not?
Your amazing parathyroid glands
When — and how — should you be screened for colon cancer?
Co-regulation: Helping children and teens navigate big emotions
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